Danger signal for mines



R. W. LIGHTBURN.

DANGER SIGNAL FOR MINES. v

APPLICATION man ARR. 17, 1922.

Patente Sept 312 Patented Sept. l2, 1922.

oir/fr. arras failli ROBERT W. LIGHTBURN, OF GANS, PENNSYLVANIA.

DANGER SIGNAL FOB MINES.

Application filed April 17, 1922. Serial No. 553,503.

To all lwhom t may concern.' f

Be it knovvn that I, ROBERT TW. LisririsUniI, a citizen of the United IStates, residing at Gans, in the county of Fayette and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Danger Signals for Mines, of which the following?r is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide a signal to be placed at the entrance of a dangerous portion of a mine, by the lireboss, in making his rounds, the signal including supporting elements permitting it to be so positioned that it Will act as an obstruction, in a sense, and prevent easy access to that portion of the mine which has been found unsafe.

A further object is to provide a signal comprising a metallic or other plate carrying,- a suitable Warning, and adjustable ineinbers of particular construction, Which will retain the device in position under diiferent conditions.

A further object is to provide a device which may include a metallic plate, a supporting leg', a hanger, and extensible arms adapted to engage the upright timbers or Walls of the entrance to that portion of the mine from which it is desired to bar the Workmen or miners.

A further object is to provide a device of this kind with a small case, or. receptacle, for cards on which the lire boss may indicate the cause of the trouble, adding,` any other dat-a desired.

lith the foregoing and other objects in vieu', the invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement of elements described and claimed, it being understood that modifications may be made Within the scope of the claims Without departing from the spirit of the invention.

vln the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective vieu7 of the device in operative position, and showing the rear thereof; Figure 2 is a front elevation, and Figure 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Figure 1. n

The metallic plate 10 may be of any suitable size, a plate 36 inches long and 18 inches high being considered of about the correct proportions. rl` he upper edge has connected therewith a hanger or handle 11, by means of which the device may be readily sus pended, when desired.` and by meansI of which it may be manipulated when the adiustable arms described below are employed.

Extensible arms 17 and 18 of one inchl pipe are received by elements 13 and 14, and are secured in any desired position by means of screws 19 and 20. Arms 17 and 18 are designed for engagingthe upright timbers at the entrance of a mine chamber, or some portion of the wall, and suflicient provision is made for adjustmentso that the device may be employed in an entrance or passagevvay of any size where the Warning is likely to be posted. v

A leg 21 may be mounted centrally and vertically of the plate 10 and act as an addi# tional supporting member, or may act independently as a supporting member. `A socket' 22 is securely connected with the lower portion of the plate 10, and serves to mount the leg 21.

lt may be added that the cards placed in the receptacle provided for that purpose by the hre-boss, are intended for the mine foreman or his assistant. The device so constructed constitutes not only a Warning, lbut also an obstruction which cannot be passed Without due notification to any one ymaking; the attempt. time for making his rounds, and is unable to provide a suitable barrier, or even a suitable Warning, unless provision is made in advance. 1f he fails to complete his roundsl in time for the miners to enter, the conselquences may be serious, and in any event Warnings not properly erected, or not sufficiently conspicuous, are of little value.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

1. ln a device of the class described, a plate member, tubular elements secured lto the plate and positioned parallel therewith,

arms slidable with reference to the tubular elements and movable in opposite directions, and means for securing the arins.`

2. A device of thel class described, com-A prising a plate member, arms slidable with reference thereto, in opposite directions and adapted to engage supporting elements, and

The lire-boss has a limited" means projecting from the plateat an angle with reference to the arms and constituting a supporting element.

8. In a device of the class described, a plate, tubular members secured to the plate in parallel relation, arms slidable vin the tubular members, means for securing the arms in an adjusted position, andfdevices extending from the plate in opposite directionsand acting at timesfas supporting elements.

4L. In Aa device of the class described, a

plate, tubular. members secured to the plate in parallel relation, arms slidable vin the Ytubular members, means for securing the `stitutingi'a-leg` and the other constituting` a hanger.

In testimonyv whereof I atlixlmyV signature.

ROBERT XV.' LIGHTBU-RN. 

